Collapsible bag or sack



H. P. BER-IRS.-

COLLAPSIBLE BAG 0R SACK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, I918.

Patented May 13, 1919.

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HERBERT IP. BEERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GOLLAPSIIBLE BAG- OIR SACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

Application filed August 5, 1918. Serial No. 248,290.

1 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT P. BEERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Collapsible Bags or Sacks, of which the following isa full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to collapsible bags or sacks. I

The principal object of the invention is to provide a practical, simple, efi'ective and protective construction of collapsible bag or sack.

A further object of the invention is'to secure strength and lightness and topermit the bag to be quickly and easily filled and emptied and opened and closed, and also to be self-standing.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of a collapsible bag or sack embodying my invention;

the same;

Fig. 2 is an outside view of a corner of Fig. 3 is a cross section of said corner on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a top plan of said bag or sack; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the same in a collapsed condition.

In the drawings I show a bag or sack made of some flexible material, as for example, (heavy canvas or leather, of suflicient strength to stand the strain oftransporta tion, and also flexible enough to'permit tlie bag or sack to be collapsed. The bagor sack shown is the usual bag or sack shape, that is when opened a general rectangular shape of any desired height and about thesame crosswise dimensions. It is more or less roundedor bulging as shown in Fig. 4. The invention can be applied to bags or sacks of different sizes and shapes.

' The bagor sack shown has sides 1,2, 3 and 4, a top 5, and a bottom '6- Slats are arranged in the sides 1, 2, 3 and 4. In Fig. 1 I show slats 7 and 8 in the sides'3 and 4,

respectively, these slats being i preferably made of wood or other strong material and held in position by being inclosed in suitable slips .or cavities formed by the outer wall or layer of flexible material, and inner layers 9 and lOqsecured'to saidouter walls or layers by rivets 11'.1'1. There may be difi'erent numbers of such slats or reinforcing members as desired. I have shown four in each'of the four long sides, 1, 2, 3 and 4. These strips may be easily inserted and withdrawn and replaced. They protect the contents ofthe bag or sack, and at the same timeipermit its collapse.

The bottom or end 6 which is also preferablymade of a flexible material,-such as canvas or leather, or the like, is secured to the sides by means of the rivets 11 and heavy 'leatherstrips l2 and corner pieces13 A supplemental end or bottom 14 is arranged to fit against the inside of the end or bottom 6. This end or bottom 14 is also preferably made of flexible material and is provided with a series-of slats 15 whereby said member 14 furnishes strength and reinforcement for the end or bottom, This supplemental end or bottom 14 is attached at one side or edge, as at 16, by a hinged connection formed by-theflexible material, to the main body of the trunk, so that said end or bottom 14 can be swung about such pivotal connection 16 so as to bring it up parallel and substantially incontact with the side 4. A strip or piece 17 of materialis attached to the other side-0r edge of the bottom 14 and also attached to the side of the bag or sack at 18, by means of rivets or washers 19, whereby the strip 17 serves as a connection with the supplemental end or bottom 14, holding the latter against the outward strains of the material inside the bag or sack when the same is filled. I This strip 17 also permits the bottom or end 14 to be swung upwardly against 'theside 4.

The top of the bag or sack is made open bag or sack may be inserted into and withdrawn from said open end. A closure in the form of a swinging member 20 is provided for opening and closing said top. This closure has one edge pivoted as at 20 and the other end free to swing so as to permit the closure to swing downwardly against the side 4. This closure 20 is also preferably providedwith slats '21 arranged in-recesses or pockets 'in the flexible material. The flexible material is extended inwardly to someextent so as to form a curtain or partial covering over the closure 20, as shown in Fig. 5, and a flexible connector such as a rope or cord 22 is provided and passed through eyelets or apertures 23 in the inwardly extending edges 5*. Thus the bag or sack may be closed by the closure 20 and sealed by drawing the rope 22 tight and then tying its ends together at 24, (Fig. 4). The bag may stand upright on its bottom as shown in Fig. 1.

v In Fig. 5 I show the bagor sack in a collapsed condition. The closure 20 is swung against the side 4 and the supplemental bottom or end 14 is also swung upwardy so as to. lielengthwise of'the side 4, more or less against the closure 20. The flexible connecting strip 17 is doubled back underneath the bottom or end 14 andzthe bottom or end 6 is collapsed or bowed inwardly. Inthis conditi-on it will be seen that the bag or sack occupies a very small space,only a small fraction of the total space occupied by it when in its expanded condition, as shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, it can be easily handled, either when full or empty. I

It will be seen that the bag or sack can be readily filled and then secured in a filled and closedcondition, being sufficiently strong to prevent any bulging or breaking. It will also be-seen that it can be readily opened and emptiedand then put into a collapsed condition in which it can be readily stored and transported, occupying only a small fraction of the space it occupies when full.

The bag can be of other shapes and other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is: 1. A collapsible bag or sack comprising a casing formed of flex1ble material provided with reinforcing members, said sides being extended toward one another at the top of the bag or sack, but not meeting one another, whereby an opening is formed, and a top hinged to the inside of the bag or casing and arranged to swing into position to open or close said opening, said top, being also made of flexible material and provided with reinforcing strips.

2. A collapsible bag or sack comprising sides made of flexible material and provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing strips and top and bottom members hinged atone edge to the inside of said bag or sack and arranged to swing into position either crosswiseiof said sides or substantially parallel with the same so as to permit said top andcbottom members to be folded inwardly and the sides then to be collapsed upon the same.

3. A collapsible bag or sack comprising sides made of flexible material provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing members, an end or bottom connecting said sides and made of flexible material, a supplemental end or bottom havingreinforcing strips, said supplemental end or bottom be ing connected-with the interior of the-bag orsack so as to permitit to. beswung-into a position lengthwise of one of the other walls of the device, the other end or top having a filling and 'uniilling opening and closure therefor...

4. A collapsible bag .or sack comprising sides made of flexible material provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing members, an end orbottom connecting said sides and made of flexible material, a supplemental end or bottom having reinforcing strips, said supplemental end or bottom being connected with the interior of the bag or sack so as to permit it to be swung into a position lengthwise of one of the other walls of the same, the other end or top :having a filling-and unfilling opening and closure therefor, said closure being connected so as to permit it tobe moved intoposition length wise of one of the other walls of the device. 5.. A collapsible bag or sack comprising sides made of flexible material provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing members, an end or'botto-mv connecting said sides and made of flexible material, a supplemental end or bottom arranged inside of said end or bottom and having a hinged connection with one side wall-of the device whereby said end may be swung upwardly intoposition lengthwise and close to said side wall, said supplemental endor bottom being connected; with the side wall of the device bymeans of a flexible strip serving to hold said end against outward movement and also permitting thesameto swing upwardly to the top of the device, the other end or top of the device having a filling and emptying opening formed by extending the flexible material of the sides and bending the same inwardly, a flexible connector connecting said inwardly. extending end portions, and a closure for said opening, said closure being hinged to one side wall of the device and arranged to swing downwardly so as to permit the opening and closing of said aperture.

6. A collapsible bag or sack comprising sides made of flexible material and provided with longitudinally extending reinwall, said supplemental. end or bottom be- 1 ing connected with the bottom of thedevice by means of-a flexible strip serving to hold 7 said end or bottom against outward move ment and also permitting the'same to swing upwardly to the side of the'device, the other end or topof the bag or sack having a filling and emptying opening formed by extending the; flexible material.of thesidesand bending the same inwardly, a flexible connector connecting said inwardly extending end portions, and a closure for said opening, said closure being hinged to one side wall of the device and arranged to swing downwardly so as to permit the opening and closing of said aperture, said supplemental end or bottom and said closure being made of flexible material provided with reinforcing strips.

7. A device of the class specified having a bottom made of flexible material, and a supplemental bottom member provided with reinforcing devices and having a hinged connection with the device to permit said supplemental bottom member to be swung into position lengthwise of one of the sides of the device to permit the collapse of the flexible bottom.

8. A device of the class specified comprising sides provided with reinforcing members and a 'top and bottom made flexible to permit collapse, and a supplemental bottom and a supplemental top, each of which is provided with reinforcing members to protect the contents of the device and also to prevent collapse when the device is filled, said supplemental top and bottom members having hinged connections with the side walls of the device to permit the same to be swung into position lengthwise of the sides of the device to permit complete collapse of the same.

9. A collapsible bag or sack comprising sides made of flexible material and provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing strips and top and bottom members hinged at one edge to the inside of said bag or sack and arranged to swing into position either crosswise of said sides or substantially parallel with the same so as to permit said top and bottom members to be folded inwardly and the sides then to be collapsed upon the same, said top and bottom members being made of flexible material provided with reinforcing strips.

10. A collapsible bag or sack comprising sides made of flexible material and provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing strips and top and bottom members hinged at one edge to the inside of said bag or sack and arranged to swing into position either crosswise of said sides or swbstantially parallel with the same so as to permit said top and bottom members to be folded inwardly and the sides then to be collapsed upon the same said top and bottom members being made 0 flexible material provided with reinforcing strips, and the ends of the sides adjacent said top member being extended inwardly toward one another to form a contracted opening which is opened and closed by said swinging top member.

11. A collapsible bag or sack comprising four side members made of flexible material and each provided with longitudinally extending reinforcing strips, top and bottom members extended crosswise of said sides and of the reinforcing strips thereof substantially at the ends of the latter, said top and bottom members being hinged at one edge to the inside of the sack or bag and arranged to swing into position crosswise of said sides to substantially parallel of the same, said top and bottom members having a reinforcing construction enabling them to hold said sides in separated and expanded condition when said members are in their crosswise position.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 30th day of July A. D., 1918.

HERBERT P. BEERS Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents. Washington, D. 0." 

